1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for mooring watercraft, and more particularly, to novel docking support assemblies for watercraft which provides a means for avoiding damage (i.e., abrasive scratches to the hull, bow and/or keel) commonly associated with beaching a watercraft.
2. The Background Art
Watercraft such as, for example, boats, jet skis, wave runners, yachts, sailboats, kayaks and canoes are typically formed of aluminum or glass-reinforced plastic composite material (i.e., fiberglass) which can become easily damaged or seriously scratched as a result of forcible impact or collision with sand, gravel, rocks or other obscure objects or debris found in water. Typically, when a watercraft is beached, removed from and/or launched into a body of water, the lowermost portion of the hull of the watercraft (generally encompassing portions of the stem, bow, forefoot, keel and stern) is particularly susceptible to abrasions. Consequently, abrasive damage promotes corrosion and structural weakening of the hull and/or bow of the watercraft. In addition, the bow of a watercraft may procure serious damage as a result of forcible contact with a docking platform when attempting to secure the watercraft thereto.
Traditionally, the keel and bow (inclusive of the stem and forefoot) of a watercraft are formed having a substantially arcuate shape that structurally encourages the hydrodynamic flow of water across the exterior surface of the hull as the watercraft moves through the water. The hydrodynamic performance of a watercraft, however, can be significantly reduced as a result of abrasions in the hull, keel and/or bow of the watercraft. In this regard, serious damage such as, for example, deep scratches, penetration or abrasions in the exterior surface of the hull, keel and/or bow of a watercraft, may generate substantial dragging or suction forces that act against the motion of the immersed watercraft and, more importantly, may significantly affect the overall hydrodynamic performance of the watercraft. Moreover, abrasions in the hull, keel and/or bow of a watercraft will typically necessitate the repair and/or replacement of the hull and those structural features of the body of the watercraft that are functionally affected.
The repair and/or replacement of the hull of a watercraft is customarily costly, and typically sorely inconvenient to the owner. Accordingly, the capacity for protecting the hull, keel and/or bow of a watercraft from abrasive wear and tear, damage and/or deep scratching has encouraged significant concentration within the marine industry as to developing various options for protecting the hull of a watercraft and reducing the cost of repair and maintenance of its exterior surface, while attempting to preserve the inherent monetary value of the watercraft itself.
In order to minimize the abrasions and damage that are normally caused as a result of forcible impact or collision with sand, gravel and/or rocks in association with beaching a watercraft, those skilled in the art developed prior art boat ramps. For example, prior art boat ramps adapted for beaching a boat were developed which comprise a lowermost horizontally disposed bottom wall and a pair of upstanding side walls in converging relationship to each other and having opposite terminal end portions fixedly disposed at maximum spaced relationship to each other to define an entrance opening through which the bow of a boat may be readily entered in order to rest the hull between the upstanding side walls of the boat ramp. The pair of upstanding side walls typically include an angularly configured contacting surface and stepped portions in the wall for supporting the bow of the boat in relation thereto.
In addition, those skilled in the art developed boat landings having a mat preferably formed of neoprene rubber which acts as a base for two solid neoprene rubber support blocks bonded to the base mat. This structural configuration provides a longitudinal spacing for generally introducing the keel of a boat therein during the beaching or landing operation of the boat in relation to the base mat. To provide a non-slip surface in relation to the shoreline, strips of neoprene rubber may be attached along the bottom of the base mat in spaced apart relationship across the exterior surface area of the mat.
Although seemingly useful for their intended purposes, there are several practical disadvantages with prior art boat ramps and landings. For example, a significant disadvantage of prior art boat ramps and landings of the type generally discussed above includes the difficulty associated with beaching the watercraft in relation to the support structures, whereby prior art ramps and landings typically support a majority of the weight of the boat. Similarly, the effort and skill required to beach a watercraft necessitates an appropriate maneuvering speed that is sufficient to force the bow, keel and a portion of the hull of the watercraft onto the surface facing of the ramp or base landing strip. The weight of the watercraft, however, is no longer significantly offset by its buoyancy in the water. Moreover, a strong amount of upward thrust is typically required to lift the watercraft out of the water and into engagement with the ramp or landing, in addition to the upward thrust of force and pushing required to dislodge the watercraft therefrom. As appreciated by those skilled in the art, watercraft have a general tendency to roll onto either of its sides when mountably resting on a ramp or base landing strip, thus ultimately having a portion of the hull of the watercraft supportably disposed on the sandy or rocky shore.
As illustrated by the number of prior patents, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to remedy the foregoing disadvantages associated with beaching watercraft. For example, those skilled in the art developed mooring devices that include a cradling assembly that is pivotally mounted to a base, wherein the base includes a pair of spaced apart hinged legs engaged to one another by means of a plurality of cross braces and stop members that function to limit the rearward and forward pivotal tilt of the cradling assembly. In particular, when a watercraft moves onto the engaging pads of the two flanges of the cradling assembly, the weight of the watercraft is generally transferred across the center line of the base causing the cradling assembly to pivot forwardly until a structural stop makes contact with a base pivot cross member, thereby restricting further forward motion of the cradle. To limit rearward motion, a structural member is generally provided which engages at least one cross brace, thereby defining the limit of rearward tilt of the pivotal cradling assembly acting thereagainst.
In accordance with another such technique or method for docking a watercraft, those skilled in the art developed watercraft docking/storage devices for lifting a watercraft from a body of water and thus storing the boat in a position above the water next to a floating dock. Prior art watercraft docking/storage devices of this general type usually comprise a stationary frame secured to the side of a floating dock or marina so that the stationary frame extends laterally therefrom. The stationary frame generally includes a pivoting frame attached thereto, wherein the pivoting frame extends into the water to allow for engagement of a watercraft. In operation, a watercraft is maneuvered toward a second end of the pivoting frame and a cabled connection is attached to the front of the watercraft to provide a means for pulling the watercraft up and onto the pivotal frame by means of angled rollers. When the watercraft has been moved far enough forward, the pivoting frame begins to pivot so as to become coplanar with the stationary frame secured to the floating dock, thereby providing a means for docking the watercraft out of the water on both the stationary and pivoting frames. Similarly, prior art watercraft docking/storage devices may incorporate a deployable carriage mounted upon a deck surface within a cradle assembly and movable in a guided path between a stowed and deployed position by means of adjustable support members secured to the carriage, particularly by means of a rotational engagement of rollers inwardly directed within channels of respective side rails.
A meaningful disadvantage of these prior art watercraft docking and storage devices utilized for supportably mounting and/or removing a watercraft from the water is the considerable amount of effort required for pulling, lifting and pivoting the watercraft in order to mount the watercraft on the carriage or pivoting frame to remove the watercraft and the frame assembly from the water. Correspondingly, a user of prior art watercraft docking and/or storage devices will typically have to substantially lift, support and/or pull the carriage or pivoting frame upon which the watercraft is supported from out of the water, while substantially supporting the weight of the watercraft and the support frame in such a manner so as to not cause any damage to the user(s), the boat, the frame assembly or the dock.
In accordance with other such prior art apparatus and techniques for docking watercraft, those skilled in the art further developed boat docking devices comprising a modified H-shaped platform adapted to reside substantially underwater and having two upwardly protruding arms with a cradle member attached to each arm. The cradle members may consist of a piece of redwood covered with a rug material for engaging the opposing sides of a watercraft. A significant disadvantage associated with the use of a textile, fabric or rug material for engaging the sides of a boat is the collection of sand in the fibers of the material which can act as an abrasive with respect to the surface hull and/or keel of the watercraft resting thereagainst. An elongated tongue may also be provided that includes a holding stake disposed at an end opposite its connection to the platform. The holding stake may be driven into the ground at the shoreline of a body of water to provide a means for supportably retaining the H-shaped platform in an upright position. In operation, the forward section of a watercraft is generally disposed between the two cradle members at a water depth sufficient to provide a floatable relationship therebetween. Typically, a rope is then tied between the boat and the ground stake to secure the watercraft to the docking platform.
A significant disadvantage with prior art docking devices having the foregoing structural limitations includes the confined or limited movement of the cradle members in relation to their attachment to the protruding arms of the H-shaped platform. For example, the cradle members are structurally allowed only a small amount of rotational freedom in the direction of their longitudinal axis. This limited freedom of movement in relation to the upwardly protruding arms of the platform generally limits the ability of the cradle members to accommodate various hull configurations without having to manually adjust the pivotal position of the protruding arms in relation to the platform for each supported watercraft.
Another meaningful disadvantage with prior art docking devices involves the potential of damage to a moored watercraft subject to drifting or rocking movement caused by appreciable wave action. Since the weight and balance of the watercraft is generally disposed in relation to only two cradle members and a rope tied to a holding stake at a distance from the support platform, the watercraft may tend to drift from its floatable engagement with the cradle members should the rope become untied or loose or as a result of appreciable wave action acting against the watercraft. Moreover, the use of prior art docking devices are usually limited to the length of the telescoping capacity of the tongue and the height of the ground stake as it relates to providing sufficient strength so as to maintain the watercraft in floatable relation between its cradle members.
While prior art watercraft ramps and landings, as well as prior art docking/storage devices appear generally suitable for their intended purposes, these prior art mooring assemblies nevertheless leave much to be desired from the standpoint of effectiveness of operation, functionality as to universal application, simplicity of construction in relation to their multiplicity of working parts and relatively complex structure, manufacturing costs and generally being severely cumbersome in view of their bulky weight for the purpose of ease of transport. As will be appreciated in this particular art, economic considerations are significant when dealing with the highly competitive marine industry, since relatively complicated devices are frequently found to be commercially impractical. Moreover, even a slight savings in cost may substantially enhance the commercial appeal of a particular component or assembly when considering issues of mass production of the product.
In accordance therewith, it would be desirable to provide an improved portable support assembly for watercraft which realizes the advantages of the prior art devices while at the same time eliminating the disadvantages associated therewith. Such an apparatus for supportably docking a watercraft is disclosed and claimed herein.